Proverbs 26:12

There’s even more hope for the willfully ignorant than for those who think they know it all.

Luke 13:6-9

There’s two things we don’t like, but that help us grow:

Having our roots messed with, and

crap in our life.

But aren’t these necessary for real growth? For maturity?

We must find the root, the real source, of our sin and traumas if we are to give them to God for the only true healing that we desperately need. But it is painful to dig up the roots, to find the lies that were implanted in our lives, perhaps long ago. And for some, this requires deep digging over a longer period than we’d like. Yet when we do find the source and name it to YHWH to be healed, there is such joyful freedom that the victorious release far outweighs the pain of the arduous excavation.

And then there’s the manure in our life. We know we can grow immensely thru suffering. Our response to what we deem as excrement in our life makes or breaks us, not the excrement.

Let’s take a simple example-this winter. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve heard “I can’t wait for spring!” People get so down in these cold, dark months. Understandable, but can we respond differently than damning the present moment and discontentedly wishing for the next season? What if we responded more with an awe for the beauty of the snow and ice formations from our heavenly artist? We can take this time to choose growth in the midst of something we don’t especially care for.

Over the two warmer days last weekend I was out with Gaby & Zayra on separate occasions. Saturday, I practically froze my face off walking around with Zayra because she could not get enough of walking over every piece of ice, listening to it crackle under our feet, and exclaiming at least 47 times, “Look at the beautiful creations!” referring to the designs in the ice. Leaves were sunken three or four inches down into the ice with a perfect outline of each curve and point. We would take the leaves out and look at the awesome design in the thick ice that was cut in by each uniquely shaped leaf. I had never seen anything like that before. Had I just never looked for it?This was a beautiful time.

On Sunday I took a long walk with Gaby, again still not the hottest of days. She also looked at the ice formations and wanted to walk in the woods…and walk, and walk. It could’ve been boring, but in those times, it is good to just listen and be together. To “waste time” together as some say. That is when we get to really know one another. She wanted to walk the extremely long way home, then our neighbor talked to us for what felt like three days…but it was all pure gold, you know?

Thank you God for the beauty of each moment and allowing me to see what You have to offer in it. Even in the midst of this record-breaking winter.